Public Statements

King: Obama Uses Amnesty Proposals to Fire-Up Dispirited Liberal Base

Statement

Congressman Steve King (R-IA), Vice-Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement, released the following statement after President Obama delivered a speech in El Paso, Texas calling for passage of amnesty legislation for illegal aliens. During his speech, President Obama encouraged passage of the DREAM Act, controversial legislation which provides illegal aliens with the ability to pay in-state tuition at public universities, and for a 'pathway to citizenship' which most Americans recognize as amnesty for illegal aliens.

"In December, President Obama failed to appease his liberal, open-border supporters when he was unable to move the DREAM Act through the lame duck Congress," said King. "Since that time, advocates for illegal aliens have made it known to the President that they might not support his re-election efforts if he doesn't pass amnesty legislation. The President is buckling in the face of this threat, and he has apparently decided that he needs to shove amnesty down Americans' throats in order to fire up his dispirited base for 2012. If enacted, the President's amnesty proposals would undermine the Rule of Law, and I will continue to oppose any effort that seeks to reward immigrant lawbreakers with the objective of their crime."